SUMMARY, EXTERNAL DOSIMETRY FOR 32-P

["Frank E. Gallagher, III" <fegallag@uci.edu>]

     A number of induviduals have replied to my query (see below) concerning
dosimeters for 32-P when historical results have been "not detectable" for
both body and ring badges.

     The preferences expressed were as follows:
          Keep body badge, eliminate ring badge:  1
          Keep ring badge, eliminate body badge: 10
          Keep both body badge and ring badge:    4
          No preference                           2

     A couple of people recommended that we reduce the criteria for
monitoring from 10 mCi down to 1 mCi.  Our current dosimetry procedures
actually do specify this for either unshielded use or unshielded storage,
but that is very rare at UCI.

     I am considering proposing that our Radiation Safety Committee add the
following statement to the Dosimetry Section of our Radiation Safety Manual:
          "Most individuals who do not routinely receive significant
exposures will wear a single dosimeter, either a body badge or ring badge,
placed at the location likely to received the highest dose or highest
fraction of the applicable dose limit, as appropriate.  Declared pregnant
women working with penetrating radiation capable of delivering a deep dose
equivalent, however, will always wear a body badge in addition to any other
dosimeters."

     Thanks very much to all who replied by e-mail sent directly to me.


*********************************************************************
Frank E. Gallagher, III, CHP       |   300 University Tower
Manager, Radiation Protection,     |   Irvine, CA   92697-2725
  and Radiation Safety Officer     |     E-mail: fegallag@uci.edu
Environmental Health and Safety    |     Office: (714) 824-6904
University of California, Irvine   |     Fax:    (714) 824-8539
*********************************************************************

The main text of the original query was as follows:
>
>     At UCI, many individuals who currently have both body and ring badges
>work with 32-P in quantities below the levels at which we would require that
>they wear badges for our own administrative purposes (currently 10 mCi or
>more handled at one time for an adult or declared pregnant woman if this
>activity is well-shielded during both storage and use).  Note that no one
>who uses 32-P at UCI would be required to be monitored under the new 10 CFR
>Part 20.
>
>     We have eliminated dosimetry for a number of individuals (~100) in this
>category, but we still have a large number who have indicated that they do
>not want to discontinue all dosimetry.  No one in this latter group has
>received a detectable recorded dose (on EITHER body badge or ring badge) in
>many years.  [A few researchers who occasionally use larger quantities have
>received detectable ring badge, but not body badge, doses in the recent past.]
>
>     Since 32-P is a pure beta emitter, we are not monitoring these
>researchers for deep dose equivalent (stochastic effects), but only for
>shallow dose equivalent (deterministic/nonstochastic  effects), so
>[some?/most?/all?] of the legal arguments for overbadging do not apply.
>
>     In order to reduce costs, we are considering eliminating either body or
>ring badges (but not both) for these individuals.  If we do so, which BADGE
>do you think we should ELIMINATE?
>          Body_______; Ring________; Neither, Keep Both___________.
>